It wasn’t a game for picking the positives out of defeat – yet again – it was a match that the Black Cats needed to win.

And they did so in style.

They crushed a desperately poor Reading side, scored three goals, kept a clean sheet, escaped the bottom three and climbed up to 15th place in the table.

With Sunderland going into the game third-bottom and Reading immediately beneath them, this could easily have been an anxious, edge-of-the- seat affair.

But Sunderland’s nerves were settled from the moment James McClean fired them in front with less than three minutes gone.

It was the perfect start, with O’Neill acknowledging: "It took a bit of anxiety out of the crowd.

"We got off to a great start and that makes a difference, because we’ve been chasing games here at the Stadium of Light recently and giving teams big starts and then having to try and get back into the matches.

"It was pleasing to get the first goal last night and I think that was very important.

"The goal will give James a massive boost and there were signs that he is returning to form. He was taking on players and not being put off by maybe losing it once or twice, but coming back for more."

Striker Steven Fletcher was a surprise inclusion on the teamsheet, with O’Neill hinting on the eve of the game that the Scot was unlikely to recover from an ankle injury in time to play.

But the gamble paid off just before the half-hour when his outrageous flick doubled Sunderland’s lead.

"Fletcher had done absolutely no work whatsoever," said O’Neill.

"When I was asked on the eve of the game whether he would be fit, I genuinely wasn’t sure.

"But he came in on the day of the game and wanted to give it a go.

"The second goal helped us immensely. It really settled us down and gave us a bit of a cushion."

Simon Mignolet made a couple of important saves in the second half but Sunderland were always in charge, and Stephane Sessegnon wrapped things up in injury-time.

Of course, Sunderland are by no means out of danger. They may be 15th in the table, but they are still only one point above the relegation zone.

And they face a daunting fixture list over the festive period, with only fellow strugglers Southampton offering some respite from games against the two Manchester clubs, Spurs and then Liverpool at the beginning of January.

O’Neill said: "This season will be really tough for us, I accept that.

"We’ve still got a tough old time ahead. We may have gone up a few places in the league, but it is the points on the board that are essential. We’ll just have to try and see it through.

"But the spirit here is strong and I want to try with all my might to put a team together here that can compete."

Last night’s win did come at a cost, however. Adam Johnson, Danny Rose and Phil Bardsley all came off in the second half with knocks.

O’Neill said: "In terms of the injuries, Phil Bardsley is struggling with a knee ligament problem, Adam Johnson has a dead leg and I am hoping he can recover from that in time to play at Man U on Saturday.

"Danny Rose was struggling from when he went down in the first half and did well to play any part in the second half."

Bardsley looks likely to be sidelined for a while, but O’Neill will be hoping that Johnson and Rose can rejoin the fray as quickly as possible.